PLAINFIELD SCHOOL DISTRICT

Plainfield School Board Meeting

Monday, June 2, 2008

Plainfield Elementary School

MINUTES

The meeting was called to order at 6:35 pm. Present were Board members Reynolds, Ferguson, Cogan, Forman and Bucklin. Also present were Superintendent Collins, Principal Langsner, Finance Director Beth Bierwirth, fifth grade teacher Paul Sanchirico, second grade teacher Betsy Rybeck Lynd, 7/8 grade teacher Duncan McCutcheon, Special Education teacher Laura Spratt, Building Committee members Bill Knight and Mike Higgins and members of the public.

The Board reordered the agenda at this time.

Business for Discussion and/or Action

A. Curriculum Presentation: Science

Representatives from the Science Committee at the meeting were Paul Sanchirico, Duncan McCutcheon, Betsy Rybeck Lynd and Laura Spratt. Laura Spratt outlined what the committee has accomplished this year and what is in store for the committee next year. Spratt explained to the Board that the curriculum committee has been focusing on finding holes in the curriculum and figuring out what needs to be sacrificed altogether or only rearranged to make sure all three types of sciences are better distributed throughout the grade levels. They are presently focusing on making changes in grade five which will drive changes in grades six, seven and eight. They intend to start by making small changes each year and hope to accomplish all the necessary changes in three years when the curriculum will to go to the Board for approval. Board member Ferguson questioned how teachers will find the time for extra professional development that may be necessary to teach new material. Paul Sanchirico explained how he takes classes in the summer or sometimes weekends. Duncan McCutcheon mentioned an on-line professional development program that is new and may be a good option for some teachers.

The Board reordered the agenda at this time.

Reports

B. Financial Report

Finance Director Beth Bierwirth gave the Financial Report to the Board, noting things she thought the Board would be interested in and answering any questions. She pointed out that the tuition line in the 07/08 budget was $143,559 below the estimation. She explained that the fuel oil line was over by $623 but that is because they went ahead and filled the tank for next year at this year’s price. Bierwirth said that she has been calling around for oil pre-buys but she can’t find a company ready to set a price yet. She said that, with the 8000 gallons already purchased, next year’s budget would cover the cost of fuel oil at today’s price.

Bierwirth estimated the surplus for the 07/08 year to be $161,752. Superintendent Collins reminded the Board that at the Annual Meeting in March, the Board told the community that the surplus was estimated to be approximately $121,000. At that time, the Board agreed to allocate the estimated surplus as follows: $20,000 in the Benefits Payable Trust Fund; $30,000 in the Building Maintenance Fund; balance of $71,000 back to the town to reduce taxes. Collins asked the Board to think about what they wish to do with the “excess” surplus funds of approximately $40,000. Suggested uses were:

• Return to the community to further reduce taxes
• Make building changes that address energy efficiency. Mike Higgins suggested building improvements that could be made for approximately $10,000 that would further increase the energy efficiency of the building.
• Upgrade telephone system. Beth Bierwirth suggested that the office could become more efficient if the telephone system were upgraded allowing calls to be directed automatically to voice mails, rather than having a person answer every call. They have not investigated the cost of this upgrade.
• Address the erosion project. The original estimate done by an engineer to address the erosion of the banks along the brook that runs through school property was about $10,000. The low bid for the project is $20,600 and the other bid is $22,600. Both bidders believe that the engineer did not estimate enough gravel for the job, and if more is required the cost will be go over the bid. The Board discussed the option of not doing the project. Superintendent Collins is not sure that is an option but will find out and report back at the next meeting. The Board discussed student safety from the eroding banks and the additional threat to loosing a soccer field into the water.

Board member Bucklin stated that she feels the energy efficiency improvement need to be done now. She also stated she is in favor of doing the erosion project now, rather than waiting or not doing it. Board member Forman would like to see the request for a telephone upgrade go through the budget process.

The Board briefly discussed the possibility of building a new soccer field while the parking lot project is being done. Bill Knight said that he has been told that local contractors have volunteered to rough out the grading, rake and seed at no cost to the school and that the entire project could be done for relatively little expense.

The Board agreed to have a vote on building improvements and to further discuss the other options for the excess surplus money at the next meeting. Upon a motion made and seconded, the Board voted unanimously to spend $10,000 from the excess surplus for building maintenance improvements that would increase the energy efficiency of the building.

D. Parking Lot Update

Bill Knight gave an update on the lighting situation for the parking lot. He said that he is still waiting on pieces for the final quote but he is confident that the final price of the project should stay below $50,000. Board member Ferguson was concerned that the town and KUA are going with one type of light and the school is not. Bill Knight explained that the manner in which the school will use the lights they intend to purchase will have the same effect as those being purchased by KUA and the town.

The Board reordered the agenda.

Announcements, Communications

Board member Ferguson sent a thank you note to Brenda Johnson for presenting the math curriculum updates at the last meeting.

Consent Agenda

A. Minutes May 5, 2008

Upon a motion made and seconded, the School Board voted 3 in favor (Ferguson, Reynolds, Forman), 2 abstentions (Bucklin, Cogan) to accept the minutes of the May 5, 2008 meeting with the following revisions: under Curriculum Presentations, LA, change the second sentence to, “She stated that the LA curriculum is at the best stage because the focus this year has been implementation.”; delete the third sentence; change the fifth sentence to, “Many of the LA staff have read the book….”; change the second bullet to: “Handwriting in the lower grades is improving because of increased occupational therapy opportunities. The Kindergarten uses some elements of the Handwriting without Tears program.”

Minutes May 19, 2008

Upon a motion made and seconded, the School Board voted 4 in favor, 1 abstention (Forman) to accept the minutes of the May 19, 2008 meeting with the following revisions: under Announcements, Communications in the first sentence, add “thanks to Fran Hills and to Laura Knight for giving their committees’ curriculum reports at the previous School Board meeting. The notes also cite the district’s appreciation for the entire committees’ continued work on the Social Studies and Language Arts curricula.” Under Principal’s Report, in the second paragraph the third sentence should read, “Board Chair Reynolds felt that it would be most appropriate to distribute the survey this spring and requested that Langsner not wait for the Board survey.” Under Superintendent’s Report, first bullet, change “papers” to “newspapers”. Under Business for Discussion and/or Action, Strategic Planning, in the second sentence change “know” to “knows” and delete the space after “soon” and “he” and in the second paragraph, in the first sentence add “meeting where they discussed the ambient lighting issues.”

B. Nominations

Upon a motion made and seconded, the School Board voted unanimously to offer a contract to Amanda Zabski for the position of Language Arts teacher in grades 7 and 8 for the 08/09 school year.

Reports

A. Principal’s Report

Principal Langsner reported that the survey on the eighth grade class trip is ready to be distributed to families of children in grades 4 – 6. She said that because grades 7 and 8 have already raised most of the money necessary for a trip that she would not distribute the survey to them. Board chair Reynolds thought that families in grades 7 & 8 would still be valuable to survey. Langsner said she could make a few changes and include those grade levels also.

Langsner reported the following:

• Graduation this year will be held at the KUA rink due to a conflict with Flickinger Theater. She said that the eighth graders were disappointed but, when given the other options, they made the decision to hold it at the rink.
• She anticipates eliminating the need for a half-time educational assistant next year due to a small class size in kindergarten.
• There are two finalists for the art teacher position. One finalist came to school to meet a seventh grade art class and the committee plans to visit the other finalist to observe her at her school.
• An offer has been made for a combination part-time P.E. teacher/educational assistant.

B. Superintendent’s Report

Superintendent Collins reported the following:

• He can’t attend graduation this year due to a conflict that night with a family graduation.
• He gave the Board a draft of next year’s meeting dates. He questioned when the Board wanted to hold the Annual meeting next year and Board Chair Reynolds clarified that because it was held on a Saturday this year, it will be a Friday night next year.
• KUA has requested that the Superintendent sign a contract for use of their facilities for the next school year. This is the same contract they required last year to allow the PTA Circus Camp to use their facilities but this year it will encompass any activities that PES holds at KUA. Plainfield School’s insurance company saw this contract and approved it last year. KUA will not charge PES for any activities held at KUA.

Upon a motion made and seconded, the School Board voted unanimously to allow Superintendent Collins to sign the contract from KUA.

Business for Discussion and/or Action

B. Policy: First Reading Policy JHB (Truancy)

The Board discussed this new policy, recommended by the School Board Association. Superintendent Collins noted that Principal Langsner will work on the Student Handbook during the summer months and the School Board will approve the language that goes with the policy in the fall. A few changes were suggested. Upon a motion made and seconded, the School Board voted unanimously to approve the first reading of Policy JHB (Truancy).

E. Community Survey

Board members discussed the contents of the survey they would like to distribute in the fall to both parents of school children and to community members without school children.  Board member Forman felt that it was important that one section be directed at community members without children and another to those with children. He thought that would improve the chances that people from the community might choose to participate. He also felt that it is important to make the survey as personal as possible and not too broad. Board member Ferguson liked the open-ended questions used on the Hanover survey but the format used by the survey done by Andrew Mellow. Superintendent Collins said he would get the results from the last two surveys done at Plainfield School for the Board to look over so that the survey can be finalized at the August Retreat.

There being no further business to discuss, the meeting was adjourned at 9:16 pm.

Respectfully submitted,

Annette Moore

Recording Clerk